


No Fairytales For Henry

by EstelleDusk



Series: Ten Blasted Years of Waiting [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen, mentions of Swanfire/Swan Thief
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-09
Updated: 2013-05-09
Packaged: 2017-12-10 22:15:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/790788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EstelleDusk/pseuds/EstelleDusk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regina discovers a book that Mr. Gold gave 5-year old Henry  and rushes to confront the pawnbroker. She doesn't like little reminders of the Enchanted Forest, especially not when it comes to the mermaid that got the Happily Ever After Regina never did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Fairytales For Henry

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick drabble demonstrating Regina's power over raising Henry. Nothing too fancy. Not inspired by anything or anyone. And of course, I can't seem to make a story in this universe where Mr. Gold can't help but ponder about Henry's parentage.

“Mr. Gold!” Comes the shrill screech of a frustrated Regina Mills.

Mr. Gold sighs heavily as the little bell connected to his pawnshop door nearly breaks from the force used to open the door. He should have expected that he’d done something to upset the former Queen. But for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what he did. He takes a glance at the 5 year old boy at Her Majesty’s side. He appears severely depressed and ashamed, but the former imp can’t figure out why. “Madame Mayor...do be careful with my little bell, would you?”

He offers her a weak smile and points at the bell by the door when she’s taken aback by his words. She reaches into her purse and retrieves a book that Mr. Gold recognizes as one he gave her boy earlier in the day, barely an hour ago. “What is this, Gold?” She asks before throwing the book in his direction. It lands on the ground, some of it’s pages bent and the 25 page book lies open to a picture of a redheaded mermaid attempting to swim to the surface before her tail becomes legs.

Mr. Gold curses his leg as he limps around the counter to the book and then reaches down to pick it up. He attempts to flatten the bent pages before answering the mayor. “Well, I would think even in your busy life you would recognize a storybook when you saw it.”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it. You gave my son this book!”

“I’m afaid I don’t quite understand, Mayor Mills. When has there ever been something wrong in giving a child some fairytales? I made sure there were plenty of pictures in case he was being lazy in his reading lessons. The words are large in size and should be easy for him to read considering there’s no word in this book more advanced than,” he takes a look at the book and pulls out the first word he considers advanced for a child of Henry’s age, “the word ‘unconcious.’ Which mean, young Henry, that she fell asleep due to injury. As you can see, Madame Mayor, this book is quite suitable for a child Henry’s age.”

“No,” she gives him an angry look, “it’s not. I won’t have my son reading these lies. You are never to give him another gift again without my consent, do you undestand me, Mr. Gold?”

He sighs and bows his head. “Very well...a mother knows best, after all. I shall keep my gifts to your boy...within your parameters. Is a cupcake on his birthday appropriate? I received a recipe for a particulary good one from a blind woman years back when I was still married.” He gives her an inquisitive look and wondes if she caught the little reference to the Blind Witch she had a hand in killing back in the Enchanted Forest.

Accoring to the flinch, he assumes she clearly recalls the person. “No. And nothing from this store of yours either. A new shirt or sweater will do for birthdays. Understood?”

“Yes, Mayor Mills, I understand.” Mr. Gold replies as Regina leaves the store with Henry in tow, hating himself for doing as she ordered. But he has to continue pretending he doesn’t know a thing. And to do that, he has to abide by her every word. He can’t wait until the Savior arrives, in just 5 short years, Rumplestiltskin will be able to openly go against Regina. At that time, he can make sure that Henry has the storybook that he reads to the lad every now and then. The storybook full of truth. For a moment, he wonders how he’ll make sure Henry gets the book.

He susposes he could call in a favor with Jefferson, but he’s not sure the Mad Hatter would appreciate the fact that ever since the Curse was enacted, Rumpletiltskin never visited his old accomplice to assure him that he wasn’t entirely bonkers. So Mr. Gold throws that idea out the window. He then remembers something very important as he stares out of his pawnshop’s window and sees Mary Margaret Blanchard nearly run into Regina Mills and her son. Snow White would be Henry’s teacher in 5 years. And a teacher had power that a simple pawnbroker did not. They commonly gave books to their students for summer reading and the like.

Yes, it’s the perfect plan. Give the storybook to Ms. Blanchard, hint that it should go to the lonely son of the mayor who by then would have figured out he was adopted. Then wait a few weeks for the young Mr. Mills to figure out who his mother is. He then should be able to bring his mother to Storybrooke someway. Perhaps through the power of the internet or maybe he would act like his grandfather Prince Charming and go out looking himself.

If Henry does the latter, then Rumplestiltskin would put a tick on his list of ways that Henry is like Baelfire. After five years, the number of tick marks on that list have drastically grown and it gave Rumplestiltskin the hope and strength he needed every day to be Mr. Gold.


End file.
